Quick opening envelope



M18 5p 1941 E. B. Bi-:RKowl-'rz r 2,251,391

QUIcK OPENING svELoPE Filed Jap. 1419259 I INVENTOR f "77 r ATTohNEYus'er. v It is a further'object of the invention to provideAA chines.

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' 3,251,391 c .onion OPENING ENvELorn rinlzfNl'rf1 OFFICE? Eugene B.Berkowitz, Kansas City, Mo., assignorto Berkowitz Envelope Company,Kansas City, Mo.,l a corporation of Delaware l Application `'anuary 14,1339, Serial No. 251,001.-

' s claim. (c1. zas-ss) I This invention relates to envelopesparticularly for containing individual quantities of materials,

for example an individual portion of powdered chocolate as used at sodafountains, restaurants,V

and the like, in the preparation of a cup of chocolate beverage.

Envelopes or containers of this character must y be adequately sealed toretain and protect the contents, and preferablydesigned so that they maybe readily opened with a minimum of effort and manipulation on the partof the user.

'Ihe `principal obj ct of the present invention is, therefore, to provde an lenvelope construction which thoroughly protects and prevents lossof contents and which, \at the same time, is readily. opened with aminimum effort on the part of the on the marginalv edge ofthe flap 5toforma seam 9 oilset from the median line of the envelopeas shown in Fig.3.'

The ends of the body portion 2 are provided with a bottom nap i and asealing ilap il. The

sealing flap il is of conventional shape but the bottom Hap I t has atab-like portion I2 projecting therefrom preferably inthe median line ofthe jap 'and which is' provided with a substan tlally straight loweredge I3 extending parallel with the edges It of the main portion oi lthecio--` sure flap. The tab i2 may have diverging end edges i5 and itmerging into the edges It on curves-asy indicated at Il.

'I'he closure iiap It may be provided with gum i@ extending across thewidth thereof and the bottom flap is provided withgum i9. The gum,

"however, is applied so as to leave a slight margin :at the edge of theflap andterminates short oi 'the 'edge i3 oi' the tab to leave anunattached lip 2li for a purpose later described.

The front face of the blank is usually printed f with the trade name,instructions, and similar information concerning the contents of thematerial to be inserted in the envelope. At the time oi' this printingthe lower ends of the side flaps are also printed with an oil base inkso that the ink covers areas 2i and 22 substantially. conforming to theshape of the bottom ap when it is folded thereover. The terminal edge 23ci the printing onthe side flap --8 terminates short 4oi? lower portionsof the sidel flaps being turned so as to illustrate the printing, overwhich gum is applied to eii'ect seal of thebottom ap.

Fig. 3 is a perspective' view of the blank with the side flaps foldedand sealed to each other, but showing the bottom and closure flaps-inextended position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the completely folded and sealedenvelope showing the method ofbreaking the bottom seal to permitemptying of the contents.

Fig. 5 is fa perspective view of the envelope showing manipulationthereof in shaping a spout of the pull tab so as to facilitate .emptyingof the contents.'

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates an envelopeblank shaped to provide a body portion 2 definedby lines of4 fold 3 5o and k4 to form the front part ot the envelope.Extending laterally from the lines of fold 3 and 4 are side flaps 5 andI, the side ap 6 being of greater Width than the flap 5 so that whenthey are folded over the portion the marginal edge thereof will overlapa' stripe of sealing gum 8 themarginal edge of the ap so as to providean unprinted kmargin 24 for sealing engagement with the gum B, as shownlin Fig. 2, so that the ink doesnot interfere with sealing of thesideflaps.

The printed area 22 on the side flap 8 has a plurality of unprintedspots 25 wherethrough the surface of the side flap is directly exposedfor contact with the adhesive on the bottom flap.

In folding the blankthe side aps are folded on the side folds 3 and 4'so that the sealing stripe,-

8 is brought into sealing contact with the side flap 6 to form an offsetseam at the back portion of the envelope, as shown in Fig. 3. When theblank is thus folded the inked portions on the side flaps appear as inFig. 3, and conform to substantially the shape of the bottom closureflap. The envelope is then'i'olded` on a fold line 26, extending throughthe body portion of the y envelope. so that the gum on the sealing flapis brought into sealing contact'with the inked portions of the sideflaps and with the exposedspots 25. With the fold 28 extending throughthe body i portion of the envelope. a positive closure is effected so asto prevent sifting out of the material. Unless a sumcientamount ofgummed area is provided between the bottom flap and the back of theenvelope, it is difficult to retain the bottom flap in sealing contactduring the manufacture, but with the gum on the sealing nap, suflicientadhesion or tack is effected with the inked area so that the flap isretained in place while the envelope is being carried through themachine or until the adhesive contacting the exposed areas 25' dries.The gum, however, does not finally stick to the inked area since the inkis repellent thereto, consequently the gum, in contacting the ink,merely crystallizes and has no function after the tackiness thereof hasbeen destroyed. Therefore closure of the bottom flap is dependententirely upon the portions of the adhesive adhering to the spots 25wherein the seal is directly between surfaces of the blank. l

'I'he envelope is filled through the opposite end and the closure flapis folded on a fold line 21 extending transversely across the body ofthe envelope, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the sealing gum may be broughtin sealing contact with the back flaps.

When the envelope is opened the lip of the tongue I2 may be graspedbetween the thumb and finger, as shown in Fig. 4, and drawn re-`tractively so as to break the seal at the spots 25. As soon as the spotseals are broken, the entire flap pulls freely from the inked area. Theenvelope may then be cupped, as shown in Fig. 5, to form a spout 28 bywhich the contents may be readily discharged'from the envelope.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a quick openingtype of envelope which .is of relatively simple and inexpensiveconstruction, and which positively retains the contentsl but which isadapted to be readily opened with a minimum of effort on the part of theuser. It is also apparent that since the adhesion of the gum to theinked areal is effective as long as the gum is tacky, no specialmachinery is required to hold the flap down while the envelope is beingformed.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A quick opening envelope including a body portion and a seal flapportion extending along an opening in said body portion through whichcontents of the envelope is emptied, a gum repellent coating on one ofsaid portions and substantially coextensive with the other and deiiningrestricted sealing space within the area of said gum repellent coating,and gum between said portions, said coating having a character to effectadhesiveness of the moist gum thereto and to repel adhesiveness of thegum when the gum is dry, whereby the gum is effective over the entirecoated area including said restricted sealing space when the gum ismoist and effective only at said restricted sealing space when the gumis dried.

2. A quick opening envelope including a body portion and a seal flapportion extending along an opening in said body portion through whichcontents of the envelope is emptied, a gum repellent coating on one ofsaid portions and substantially coextensive with the other and definingrestricted sealing spaces within the area of said gum repellent coating,gum between said portions, said coating having a character to effectadhesiveness of the moist gum thereto and to repel adhesiveness of thegum when the gum is dry. whereby the gum is eiective over the entirecoated area. lincluding said restricted sealing spaces when the gum ismoist and effective only at said restricted sealing spaces when the gumis dried, said restricted sealed areas being adapted to be pulled loosewhen the envelope is opened,

vand a pull tab on the seal flap portion and projecting beyond saidcoated area to facilitate detachment oi the seal flap portion from saidrestricted sealing spaces.

3. An envelope including a body portion having front and back sidesforming a pocket, a seal flap portion enclosing an' opening to saidpocket and folded on a line of fold extending across both of said sidesto close said opening, said body portion having a gum repellent coatingcovering an area underlying the seal flap portion including saidV foldedover portion of the body and having restricted sealing areas-underlyingthe seal flap portion, and gum for adhering said seal flap portion, saidgum repellent coating having an affinity for moist gum to maintain theseal ap portion closed when the gum is moist and repellent to the gumwhen the gum is dry over said restricted sealing areas, said seal flapportion being adapted to be pulled loose from said restricted sealedareas when the envelope is opened.

4. An envelope including a body portion having front and back sidesforming a pocket, a seal flap portion enclosing an opening to saidpocket and folded on a line of fold extending across both of said sidesto close said opening, said body portion having a gum repellent coatingunderlying an area of the 'seal flap portion including said folded overportion of the' body and having restricted sealing areas underlying theseal flap portion, gum for adhering said seal flap portion, said gumrepellent coating having an aiiinity for moist gurn to maintain the sealap portion closed when the gum is moist and repellent to the gum whenthe gum is dried over said restricted sealing areas, said seal flapportion being adapted to be pulled loose from said restricted sealedareas when the envelope is opened,

and a pull tab on the. seal ilap portion extending beyond saidrestricted sealed areas to facilitate breaking seal of said restrictedareas.

5. A quick opening envelope including a body portion and a seal flapportion extending along an opening in said body portion through whichcontents of the envelope is emptied, a gum repellent coating on one ofsaid portions and substantially coextensive with the other, a restrictedsealing area between said portions, and gum between said portions toseal said portions at the restricted sealing area, said coating having acharacter to effect adhesiveness of the moist gum thereto to retain theilap portion closed until set of the gum at said restricted sealing areaand to repel adhesiveness of the gum when the gum' EUGENE B. BERKOWITZ.

